Why This Framework Exists.

Many schools and early learning programs value play-based learning.
The challenge isn’t belief in play, it is the  implementation.

Without a shared understanding of what authentic play actually is, and without clear systems for documentation and alignment, play-based learning often breaks down in predictable ways:

• Play is interpreted differently from classroom to classroom

• Teacher-directed activities are mistaken for authentic play

• Outdoor learning is viewed as recess rather than an extension of the classroom

• Documentation feels disconnected from daily instruction

• Play becomes harder to sustain as accountability pressures increase

When this happens, teachers are left unsure of what “counts,” administrators are left answering questions about expectations and outcomes, and play becomes something that must be justified rather than understood.

The issue isn’t play itself.
It’s the absence of a clear, shared framework.

What is the Play-To-Standards Framework? 

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ helps school and early learning leaders build shared understanding around authentic play—while giving teachers clear systems for documentation, alignment, and accountability.

Many schools and early learning programs value play-based learning, yet struggle to implement it consistently across classrooms. Without a shared definition of play or a clear approach to documentation of learning, expectations vary, confusion grows, and play is often misunderstood or reduced.

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ was designed to solve this problem by helping educators understand what authentic play truly is, how learning naturally emerges within it, and how that learning can be documented and aligned to standards without compromising whole-child development.

What the Play-to-Standards Framework Is (and Is Not)

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ is designed to bring clarity to play-based learning—not to add another initiative or instructional trend.

At its core, the framework provides a shared system for understanding, documenting, and aligning authentic play-based learning to standards in a way that is developmentally appropriate and sustainable.

What the Play-to-Standards Framework Is:

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ is:

• A clear, research-informed framework for understanding what authentic play is and why it matters

• A shared language that supports consistency across classrooms, programs, and grade levels

• A documentation and alignment system that helps teachers make learning through play visible

• A leadership tool that supports coherence, clarity, and accountability

• A whole-child approach that honors cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical development

The framework helps educators recognize that learning is already happening through play and provides the structure needed to capture, align, and communicate that learning with confidence.

What the Play-to-Standards Framework Is Not:

Just as important, the Play-to-Standards Framework™ is not:

• ❌ A collection of play centers, activities, or lesson plans

• ❌ A one-day professional development session without follow-up

• ❌ A replacement for standards or academic expectations

• ❌ A checklist or compliance tool

• ❌ A program that turns play into teacher-directed tasks or games

The framework does not ask teachers to “add more” or abandon developmentally appropriate practice. Instead, it supports teachers in seeing, naming, and documenting the learning already embedded in authentic play.

Why This Distinction Matters

When play-based learning lacks clarity, it is often misunderstood or oversimplified. By clearly defining what play is and is not, the Play-to-Standards Framework™ removes ambiguity and replaces it with shared understanding.

This clarity allows schools and early learning programs to:

• Support play-based learning with confidence

• Maintain consistency across classrooms

• Align practice to standards without compromising childhood

• Move forward without ongoing debate or confusion

What Administrators See as a Result

For school and early learning leaders, play-based learning must do more than feel developmentally appropriate. It must lead to clear readiness outcomes and defensible documentation.

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ was designed with this exact need in mind.

Kindergarten Readiness, Made Visible

Through this framework, schools are able to clearly demonstrate that children are developing the foundational skills needed for kindergarten success, including:

• Language and communication skills

• Self-regulation and executive functioning

• Social competence and collaboration

• Early literacy and numeracy behaviors

• Problem-solving, persistence, and independence

Rather than relying on isolated assessments or disconnected checklists, readiness is documented through authentic evidence gathered during play, where these skills naturally emerge.

Documentation That Supports Readiness Decisions

The Play-to-Standards Framework™ provides administrators with:

• Consistent, standards-aligned documentation across classrooms

• Clear evidence of learning tied to readiness benchmarks

• Artifacts that support conversations with families, leadership teams, and receiving kindergarten teachers

• A defensible narrative for how play-based learning prepares children for school success

This documentation allows leaders to confidently answer the question:

“How do we know our children are ready for kindergarten?”

Why This Matters for Leadership

When readiness is clearly documented:

• Transitions to kindergarten are smoother

• Teachers feel confident in their instructional decisions

• Families better understand how learning happens through play

• Leaders can support play-based learning without needing to justify it repeatedly

The framework ensures that play is not only developmentally appropriate, but also intentional, observable, and aligned to readiness expectations.